dP LA FEROUSE. 2^1 



dhis cylherea, and feveral others of different 

 fpecies of eugen'm, all very good to eat. The 

 bottles and the bits of cloth which we gave 

 them, difFufed among them the mod lively joy ; 

 but we remarked with furprife, that they fet 

 little value on iron. 



Like all the other favages that we had hitherto- 

 met with, thefe carncflly expreffed a wifh to fee 

 us land on their iiland. 



One of the canoes advanced towards ys, while 

 the others Hood in for the coaft. Notwithstand- 

 ing our invitations, thefe natives kept at three 

 hundred meters from our fhip. They were afraid 

 to touch the different articles which we fent 

 them, with a view of gaining their confidence. 

 Some, however, appeared to with that their ca- 

 noe fhould come near enough to lay hold of 

 them ; but the fentiment of fear prevailed among 

 the greater number. 



It was noon when we trimmed our fails, in 

 order to continue our route. All the canoes 

 then refolved to follow us for fome time, before 

 they returned to their ifland : the one that had 

 come the clofeft to our fhip, followed us with 

 the mod perfeverance : this was a very large 

 canoe, containing thirty favages, who appeared 

 to us ftouter than the inhabitants of the Admi- 

 ralty Ifiands ; they were of the fame colour, and 

 ft ill more naked, ; for we faw but a fingle one of 

 u 2 them 



